Robby on Rails: Rails Business: "Weekly" Review #3thoughts.sort_by{|t| t[:topic]}.collect tag:www.robbyonrails.com,2005:TypoTypo2007-08-05T10:38:49-04:00Robby Russellurn:uuid:e4e3e478-abe8-484c-af51-09d7ebb19e962007-08-05T10:37:00-04:002007-08-05T10:38:49-04:00 Rails Business: "Weekly" Review #3<p>It’s been about six weeks since the last Rails Business “Weekly” Review on here, so perhaps it’s worth changing the name to cut me some slack on not being consistent. ;-)</p>
<p>Since the last post, we’ve gone from around 400 members to 555 as of this morning. We’ve had 562 messages as well, so there hasn’t been a shortage of discussions taking place. I’d like to take a few moments to highlight some of the discussions that have taken place and encourage you all to consider participating, if you’re not already.</p>
<h3>Licensing and Client Agreements</h3>
<p>Tim Case writes,</p>
<blockquote>“My client sent me this agreement drawn up from their lawyer that
included the following:
<br /><br />
(c) the Contractor shall not bundle with or incorporate into any Work
Product any third-party products, ideas, processes, software, codes,
data, techniques, names, images, or other items or properties without
the express, written prior approval of the Company;”
</blockquote>
<p>Tim then goes on to ask how his applies to using Ruby on Rails, which as a <span class="caps">MIT</span> license and how other consultancies are handling these types of situations. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/ec01cd3bdfece804/3477c340e01446ba#3477c340e01446ba">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Escrow</h3>
<p>Gustin writes, “Does anyone have any escrow experience, legal and cost? I am dealing with a client that got burned bad and we are reducing their fear with escrow on the first two iterations.”</p>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/c70e5b7b0a63917a/b4fced25705ca24a#b4fced25705ca24a">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Project Planning tools</h3>
<p>Mike Pence writes, “So, I used to use MS Project for the composition of those dreaded Gantt charts, but it has been a few years since I had to be so formal. Anything new and exciting – and more robust than Basecamp – happening in the world of project planning software?”</p>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a5d56192aeb3b36f/ef7bd04df87927d3#ef7bd04df87927d3">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<p>Not long after, Jim Mulholland started a new thread on the same topic and brought up the open source application, redMine. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a8b57756ec338b9c/bc4611a37cd57e3b#bc4611a37cd57e3b">Follow this discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Ruby on Rails versus .NET</h3>
<p>Michael Breen asked a big question on the list, which has sparked an going discussion about the benefits of using Rails versus .NET (and other platforms).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“A couple of months ago I decided to stop actively pursuing .NET gigs to focus on Rails. Several of my existing .NET clients have learned of this through the grapevine and have contacted me to discuss.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a3036352c84163a2/2b0c7904537b89d4#2b0c7904537b89d4">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Three things Tim’s learned from Freelancing Rails</h3>
<p>Tim Case shared his experience of freelancing with Ruby on Rails and highlights three things that he’s learned.</p>
<ul>
<li>The non-code business aspect of Freelancing is demanding. </li>
<li>It takes 10 hours to bill 6 to 8.</li>
<li>Figuring out your rate is hard.</li>
</ul>
<p>Read the <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/85d38e8e613aad22/e40445bbae689249#e40445bbae689249">rest of Tim’s observations and the discussion the followed</a>.</p>
<h3>Client issue tracking and documentation</h3>
<p>Jeff Judge writes, “Hello all! I was curious to here how people are handling client issue tracking and documentation.”</p>
<p>Several applications were mentioned for handling issue tracking and the general consensus was that there was still a lot to be desired that current options didn’t provide. Be sure to <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/3219076d080c77a2/f7d09645b372cd08#f7d09645b372cd08">follow the discussions…</a></p>
<h3>Join the Community</h3>
<p>These were just a small handfull of the discussions that have taken place over the past several weeks. If you’re an aspiring Rails freelancer or business owner, be sure to <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/subscribe">join the community</a> and share your experiences and learn from other members of the community that are willing to share theirs.</p>
<p>Until next time, have fun!</p><p>It’s been about six weeks since the last Rails Business “Weekly” Review on here, so perhaps it’s worth changing the name to cut me some slack on not being consistent. ;-)</p>
<p>Since the last post, we’ve gone from around 400 members to 555 as of this morning. We’ve had 562 messages as well, so there hasn’t been a shortage of discussions taking place. I’d like to take a few moments to highlight some of the discussions that have taken place and encourage you all to consider participating, if you’re not already.</p>
<h3>Licensing and Client Agreements</h3>
<p>Tim Case writes,</p>
<blockquote>“My client sent me this agreement drawn up from their lawyer that
included the following:
<br /><br />
(c) the Contractor shall not bundle with or incorporate into any Work
Product any third-party products, ideas, processes, software, codes,
data, techniques, names, images, or other items or properties without
the express, written prior approval of the Company;”
</blockquote>
<p>Tim then goes on to ask how his applies to using Ruby on Rails, which as a <span class="caps">MIT</span> license and how other consultancies are handling these types of situations. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/ec01cd3bdfece804/3477c340e01446ba#3477c340e01446ba">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Escrow</h3>
<p>Gustin writes, “Does anyone have any escrow experience, legal and cost? I am dealing with a client that got burned bad and we are reducing their fear with escrow on the first two iterations.”</p>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/c70e5b7b0a63917a/b4fced25705ca24a#b4fced25705ca24a">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Project Planning tools</h3>
<p>Mike Pence writes, “So, I used to use MS Project for the composition of those dreaded Gantt charts, but it has been a few years since I had to be so formal. Anything new and exciting – and more robust than Basecamp – happening in the world of project planning software?”</p>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a5d56192aeb3b36f/ef7bd04df87927d3#ef7bd04df87927d3">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<p>Not long after, Jim Mulholland started a new thread on the same topic and brought up the open source application, redMine. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a8b57756ec338b9c/bc4611a37cd57e3b#bc4611a37cd57e3b">Follow this discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Ruby on Rails versus .NET</h3>
<p>Michael Breen asked a big question on the list, which has sparked an going discussion about the benefits of using Rails versus .NET (and other platforms).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“A couple of months ago I decided to stop actively pursuing .NET gigs to focus on Rails. Several of my existing .NET clients have learned of this through the grapevine and have contacted me to discuss.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/a3036352c84163a2/2b0c7904537b89d4#2b0c7904537b89d4">Follow the discussion…</a></p>
<h3>Three things Tim’s learned from Freelancing Rails</h3>
<p>Tim Case shared his experience of freelancing with Ruby on Rails and highlights three things that he’s learned.</p>
<ul>
<li>The non-code business aspect of Freelancing is demanding. </li>
<li>It takes 10 hours to bill 6 to 8.</li>
<li>Figuring out your rate is hard.</li>
</ul>
<p>Read the <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/85d38e8e613aad22/e40445bbae689249#e40445bbae689249">rest of Tim’s observations and the discussion the followed</a>.</p>
<h3>Client issue tracking and documentation</h3>
<p>Jeff Judge writes, “Hello all! I was curious to here how people are handling client issue tracking and documentation.”</p>
<p>Several applications were mentioned for handling issue tracking and the general consensus was that there was still a lot to be desired that current options didn’t provide. Be sure to <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/browse_thread/thread/3219076d080c77a2/f7d09645b372cd08#f7d09645b372cd08">follow the discussions…</a></p>
<h3>Join the Community</h3>
<p>These were just a small handfull of the discussions that have taken place over the past several weeks. If you’re an aspiring Rails freelancer or business owner, be sure to <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/rails-business/subscribe">join the community</a> and share your experiences and learn from other members of the community that are willing to share theirs.</p>
<p>Until next time, have fun!</p>